Futility
by Motherflipping Oak
Summary: A year before becoming trainers, a freaky encounter in the woods forever severed the friendship between Red and Blue. Now on his way to become the champion, Blue discovers not all is how it should be. How does Red keep catching up to him? Why won't he speak to Blue? And what really happened that night in the forest?
1. Chapter 1

_This is a story._

_Maybe._

_This is a story repeated time after time, from the beginning to the inevitable conclusion, a vicious circle with no end in sight._

_This story doesn't end well. Trying to change it never works._

_This is a story about futility._

* * *

><p>"Hey, Blue! Wait up! You didn't say anything about going this far!"<p>

Blue looked up at the black-haired boy running behind him and grinned. "What, are you scared? We'll be fine if we avoid tall grass." He started running again. "Come on!"

"I'm trying! Slow down, I can't keep up!"

"You're just too slow!"

Red huffed and glared at him. "It's not my fault you're faster than me!"

Blue laughed and speeded up. "Too bad for you! Smell ya later!"

"Hey!" Red yelled, but Blue ignored him. He kept going forward, arms spread to his sides, enjoying the night breeze on his skin as he half dashed, half leapt along the path. It was as if he was flying through the forest, like some legendary bird pokémon of prey.

After a while, he spotted the verdant clearing he had been looking for, with a wide stream snaking through it. He slowed down to and looked longingly at the water. The shallow stream looked cool and inviting, as well as free of any wild pokémon." After some hesitation, he jumped off the path, tossing his backpack and footwear onto the undergrowth around the stream. That done, he jumped right in and splashed around in the water. The muddy riverbed squished delightfully between his toes.

Soon, Red showed up, his face flushed crimson.

"I told you to wait up," he whined.

"Yeah, well. At least you caught up now."

"Yeah." Red followed suit and plunged his feet into the water right next to his with a splash. Muddy water drops soared into the air and landed on Blue's legs.

"Hey, you got some mud on my shorts!"

"Tough." Red grinned mischievously and kicked more water into the air.

Blue backed away. "Cut that out!"

"Why, scared Daisy will yell at you if your clothes get dirty?" Another kick.

Blue grimaced. If that was how it was going to be...two could play that game.

"Since you're such a big fan of water, here you go!" he said, crouching down and hurling a whole bunch of water at Red.

Red cringed and shielded his face with his arm as the splash hit him. "Hey, no fair!

"Can't take your own medicine?" Blue splashed him again. "You can never train water pokémon if you're that afraid of water!"

"Right, that does it!" Red crouched down to Blue's level, immersing his arms in the water to his elbows. "I use Surf!"

He brought his arms back to the surface, spraying water everywhere in the vicinity, thoroughly dampening both Blue's clothes and his mood.

"You call that Surf?" he growled, shaking droplets of water out of his hair. "I'll show you Surf!"

He prepared to create the biggest wave yet, but Red tackled him with a vicious head-butt before he got his arms out of the water, throwing him off balance and sending him crashing into the stream. A huge torrent of water splashed upwards, but not the kind he had wanted.

"Hah! Gotcha!" Red boasted. "You lose!"

Blue coughed out water, and turned to face Red. Red loomed above him with a cocky grin on his face, arms crossed, certain of his victory

Quickly, Blue pulled his knees up towards himself. Before Red could jump out of the way, Blue aimed a powerful two-leg kick at his legs. It hit its mark: Red staggered from the force of the kick, falling backwards into the stream with a cry of alarm and pain.

"No," said Blue, gingerly standing up. "You lose."

"Oww..." Red grimaced and held his left knee. For a second, Blue thought of apologising. Red looked like he was in serious pain. "I was just messing around. You didn't have to kick like a freaking rapidash."

Blue folded his arms. "And you didn't have to tackle me in the first place." He made his way back to the shore, wiping mud off the back of his head the best he could.

After getting rid of most of the muck, he lay down on the underbrush to dry off his clothes. He looked up. The velvet black sky with its crescent of the waxing moon looked back down, and scores after scores of stars blinked at him from the heavens above.

"Wow, it really looks amazing," said Red. He had crept silently back on shore and now lay down next to Blue, a dreamy look on his face. "You were right, this was totally worth the risk.".

Blue grinned. "Didn't I tell you?" Of course, wandering off by themselves in the middle of the night would get them both into serious trouble if they were caught, but experiencing the best stargazing spot near Pallet Town was definitely worth it. Besides, whatever repercussions they might face wouldn't raise their ugly heads until tomorrow. Who cared about tomorrow when today was here and now with fun to be had?

"Wonder what kind of pokémon live in the stars?" he murmured. It only made sense that even places as distant as the stars above had their own kinds of pokémon. Everyone said clefairies came from the moon, so who was to stay there weren't even stranger pokémon living in space, just waiting for someone to discover them?

"I dunno. We could try drawing pictures of them tomorrow," said Red. "And when we're trainers we can one day go and catch them."

"Yeah, let's do that," Blue said enthusiastically. "Once we finish the league, we can fly to them with a space ship and catch them all" He frowned. "They might require special pokéballs though. Maybe Gramps can help with those."

"Yeah," Red said quietly.

"Speaking of Gramps," Blue said, sitting up and rummaging through his small backpack, "he asked me to give you something." He handed over a crude package the size of a big frisbee. "Happy birthday."

Red took the present and ripped it open without further considerations.

"Wow," he said, unveiling a red and white baseball cap. "This is way better than my old one!" He put it on immediately and grinned at Blue. "Thanks."

Blue shrugged. "Don't thank me, Gramps is the one who bought it. I just picked it out." He put his backpack away. "Only a year to go until he gives us the pokémon he promised us, huh? I can't wait."

"Me neither, it's going to be the best. Have you already decided which starter to pick?"

Blue shook his head. "Not yet." He had given it a some thought, but he could never quite reach a decision. Honestly, he'd be happy with any of the three.

"You should decide before we start our journey. There's only one of each, so what if we both want the same one?"

Blue sighed. "How about we agree you get to pick first? I'll be happy with any of the three." Besides, he thought, knowing which one Red was going to pick just might give him a strategic advantage if – oh, who was he kidding, when – they battled.

"Yeah, sure," Red settled down. The dreamy look returned to his eyes. "It's really going to be amazing, isn't it? Catching as many pokémon as we can, beating all the gyms leaders, becoming the champion..."

"Yeah." Then, after a moment: "Well, we can't both be champions, of course. There can only be one number one, and that's going to be me."

Red frowned at him. "Why not? Wouldn't it be more fun if we both were the best?"

"We can't both be the best. Being the best implies that you beat all the others. There's no room for ties on the top." After a momentary hesitation, he added: "You can be the second best though, and challenge me as many times as you want once I'm the champion. Promise."

"Bah." Red pulled a face. "How can you be so sure you're going to be the one? Maybe I'll be a better trainer than you."

Blue laughed. "Fat chance. Besides, I have longer legs than you. I'll be able to walk the route faster and become the champion first."

"In that case I'll get a bike!"

"If you get a bike, I'll get one too. A better one."

"Then I'll get a car!"

"You can't drive!"

"I'll get someone to drive it for me!"

Blue snorted. "Yeah, I'd like to see that-"

His voice petered out midsentence. A flickering light flashed somewhere beyond the clearing, faint and gone so quickly Blue wasn't sure whether it had really been there. Then, a strange metallic sound, quiet and piercing, sounded through the woods, vanishing without as much as an echo.

The forest fell dead silent. Blue thought it had been quiet beforehand, but only now that the distant cries and droning of pokémon were all gone at once did he realise how potent the noise was. Now, he heard nothing but the sound of Red breathing heavily and his own heartbeat sending blood rushing through his veins.

Red broke the silence. "What was that? Some pokémon?"

"Never heard a pokémon cry like that. None of the ones here certainly do." Blue said, gritting his teeth to keep them from clattering. Was it just him, or was the air getting colder? "Seriously, what was that?"

Suddenly, Red's eyes turned as wide as saucers. He held out his shaking arm and pointed into the distance. "There!"

Blue squinted. There, further into the woods, was a bright green light, unwavering and unmistakably real. Despite valiant efforts, he couldn't make out anything that might possible be its source from so far away.

Blue half shrugged, half shuddered. "Maybe our parents figured out we're gone and came looking for us."

Red swallowed. "You think so?"

"Dunno." He wanted to believe in his own explanation, but couldn't, not really; even if both his and Red's imaginations had somehow turned regular footsteps and calls of their names into something strange and eerie, the distant light was nothing like any flashlights they might use, and coming from the wrong direction to boot. Maybe, rather, their talk about pokémon from the stars had summoned one of them to Earth? "What do you wanna do? Go and investigate, or make a run for it?"

"I don't care, as long as we do something," Red said, eyes darting around.

"Why do you think I asked? Pick something!"

"Dunno." Red shivered and lowered his voice. "Maybe, if we just stay quiet and hide for a while, whatever it is will go away."

Blue shrugged. He wasn't fond of hiding, but if it was really was their parents in the woods after all, it certainly couldn't hurt. And if it wasn't their parents, well...

He followed Red's lead and crouched down next to same bushes. They waited in silence for several minutes, only for nothing to happen. The green light remained, pulsating quietly.

Blue hesitated. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rip his gaze away from the light. Maybe, just maybe, his earlier wish had came true, and they had unknowingly witnessed the arrival of a new race of pokémon onto Earth. Had he been alone and not with Red, he would've sneaked towards the light to see it for himself, no matter the risk. Heck, even with Red on his heels, he was tempted to go and see.

"Hey," he said. Red shushed him, but he ignored him. "I don't know about you, but I want to know what's going on. No way that's your mom or Daisy. I'm going to take a peek."

Red's eyes widened. "But what if it's dangerous?"

Blue very nearly rolled his eyes. "You stay here if you want. Chicken."

"No way I'm staying here by myself!" Red protested, his cheeks flushing.

"Come with me, then. Besides, we'll be careful. If it really is something dangerous, we'll just get away from it as soon as we can."

"I don't know." Red chewed his lip.

"Think about it! What if the thing out there is something like a clefairy? I mean, not a freaking clefairy...some new kinda pokémon, I mean. Gramps told me they're still being discovered all over the world. And maybe, if we go to the light now, we'll be the first ones to discover one! That'd be worth a whole month of being grounded. Heck, a year!"

Red considered this for a moment. Then, he nodded with an apprehensive sigh, a new light in his eyes.

"'Kay, let's go." No point in waffling over the matter any longer. Blue beckoned Red to follow him and slowly made his way towards the light, sneaking behind the trees and rocks.

After several minutes of trekking through the woods, Red tugged him by the sleeve of his shirt.

"Slow down. We need to be careful, especially when it's this close already," he whispered.

"What are you talking about? It looks like it's just as far away as it was before." He nudged his head forward. "Come on."

Red tilted his head. "What, can't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"The whispering."

"The only one whispering here's you. Are you trying to spook me or what?"

"I'm serious. And keep it down." Suddenly, Red froze. "It went quiet. I think it heard us."

Blue rolled his eyes. "Very funny. If you're gonna be like that you can go straight back home for all I care. We need to get in closer if we want to figure out what it is."

"Mmhm."

"You okay?" Even in the pale moonlight, Blue could see Red's forehead dripping in sweat.

"I guess. I just got a really bad feeling about this."

"Go back if you want. I'm going on anyway."

He took a few more tentative steps forward, and, when Red refused to follow, turned to cast an irate glance at him.

He then noticed that Red was unnaturally still, his limbs rigid and his face distorted into an expression of slack-jawed shock.

"Hey, Red!" No response. "What's wrong?" He looked in the direction Red's bulging eyes were staring at, but there was nothing.

Feeling a tinge of fear in his stomach, he then grabbed Red by the wrist, finally eliciting a reaction: Red's entire body began to shiver. He still stared ahead mutely, as if he was unable to do otherwise.

"Red!" Blue grabbed his shoulder with his free hand and began shaking him. "Snap out of it!"

Finally, Red blinked. He raised his head, ignoring Blue. His eyes gleamed in the starlight.

"It's calling for me," he whispered.

Blue blinked and pricked his ears. Nothing. So, either Red was going bonkers, playing an elaborate practical joke on Blue, or something was very, very wrong.

"Nothing's calling for you." He waited for a moment for Red to respond and when he didn't, continued: "See, there's nothing. I can't hear anything."

Red still wouldn't look at him. "Of course you can't hear it. It's calling for me, not you."

"Red," Blue felt sweat gathering on his forehead. Joke or not, this was starting to get eerie. He thought of all the ghost stories they had used to tell each other, and his stomach jolted unpleasantly. "Don't be stupid. I already told you to go if you want to. You don't have to make any stupid excuses about voices."

Red shook his head and smiled haphazardly. "I can't go now, it says it needs my help." There was another bout of silence. "It's asking for my name."

"Don't tell it!" Blue yelped. Then, to soften his knee-jerk reaction, he added: "Why should you help it?"

Red shook his head again. "I don't know, but..." his vacant smile widened. "It feels right. Like I was meant to do it." Suddenly, he took off, running towards the green light which, after all this time, suddenly expanded as Red approached it.

"H-hey!" After the briefest moment of hesitation, Blue followed in hot pursuit. Whatever madness had taken hold of Red didn't mean he was going to abandon him, even if the situation had gotten more frightening than he could have ever anticipated when he first set out to come star-gazing in the woods.

Red didn't even seem to notice that he was following him. He let out a strange giggle and shouted happily: "My name is Red! My name is Red! I'm here!"

"Stop!" Blue yelled at him and hastened up. He had been a faster runner than Red from the day they had learned to walk, and if need be, he would tackle his addled friend if it meant stopping him from doing something precarious.

Just as he thought of this, however, Red reached out his hand and ran head-on towards the still expanding light, now mere feet from it. Before Blue could reach him, his fingers came into contact with it. The second it happened, there was a metallic humming sound, and Red was instantly engulfed by the light, vanishing from view.

Blue stared in horror as the light contracted again, until in mere seconds it had been reduced into a shimmering ball the size of a pokéball floating on Blue's eye level.

"Red!" If Red could hear him, he certainly wasn't showing it. Blue felt bile gathering in his mouth. What was he supposed to do? He had no idea what was even going on, let alone how to bring Red back. How was he supposed to explain this the next morning if he returned home alone?

He noticed to his alarm that the ball of light was still getting smaller, if at a much slower rate. Panicked, and without further ideas, he grabbed the ball.

Immediately, he was overcome by a sudden wave of nausea. He released his grip from the ball of light as if it had burned is hand.

"Urgh!" He fell on his knees, covering his mouth as his stomach began to twist and contract, unable to control himself. Nothing came out but dry heaving. After a few moments, when the worst bout of sickness had passed, he forced himself back on his feet. Ghost images of green stars danced in his vision, but regardless he could tell the ball of light had gotten even smaller.

"Red!" he yelled. Still no reply. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, then reached out for the now pea-sized orb. Another bout of violent nausea immediately overtook him, and before he even knew it, he was lying on the ground as a twitching heap.

By the time he had finally managed to get back up, still shaking, the light was gone. And so was Red.

"Red! RED! Answer me, you idiot!" Blue knew screaming would do him no good, but he couldn't help it. He had to something, no matter how futile. He couldn't give up, not just yet.

Only the wind responded.

Blue's voice died. For the longest time, he stood in place, his mind frozen. The pokémon living in the woods finally started making noise again, and soon the nightly forest was just like it had always been, as if nothing had ever happened.

Once he finally came out of his torpor, he still remained in place for quite a while. Then, slowly, very slowly, he began slouching back towards Pallet Town. There was nothing he could do, no ideas how to save Red, and no comprehension of what had even happened. In the morning, pandemonium would break loose, but he had no way of stopping. All he could do now was return home and pray the following day would reveal the entire night had been nothing more than an insane nightmare, or failing that, at least bring with it some desperately needed answers.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Special thanks to thechinskyguy for beta reading this._


	2. Chapter 2

Blue didn't sleep a wink that night.

What exactly happened in the woods? And how could he explain what happened to Red? If he wasn't even sure what was going on in the first place, there was no way he could tell others about it.

He tossed and turned, staring at the clock as its hands slowly, but inevitably, moved towards morning. He grabbed his blanket and hid beneath it, and hated himself for acting like a little kid. Still, he couldn't help it: he wasn't ready to owe up for last night.

As time kept passing, The foreboding silence creeping upon the house surprised him. He heard Daisy pottering downstairs, and the front was opened twice, but there was no yelling, no crying, and no-one slammed the door to Blue's room open to tell him Red had gone missing and asking him if he had any knowledge why.

When the first rays of morning sun peeked from the horizon, he fell into a fretful reverie, dreaming full of horrible monsters and Red's large eyes staring at him accusingly.

Eventually, Daisy's voice rung from downstairs, mercifully dispelling the visions of horrors haunting him for the moment. "Blue! Breakfast is ready!"

Blue shuddered despite his grogginess. Time to face the music.

And yet, Daisy's voice sounded perfectly normal. Maybe she didn't know about Red's disappearance yet. It would be even worse to be there when Red's mother first relayed the news.

Blue slid out of bed, slowly enough for Daisy to repeat her call, and stumbled down the stairs, his stomach sinking further down on every step. In the kitchen, Daisy awaited her with a kind smile and a cup of tea.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said as Blue sat down, avoiding her eyes. "Orange juice?"

Before Blue could respond, she poured him a glassful to go with his toast and egg, humming cheerfully.

"Grandfather took his breakfast to the lab again." She lifted her own slice of toast and sunk her teeth in it.

Blue nodded carefully as he stared at his food. He hadn't eaten since dinner last night, but his stomach was in such knots he doubted he could get anything down.

After a while, Daisy leaned over him. "What's wrong, Blue? Are you ill?" She placed her hand tentatively on his forehead.

Blue quickly shook it off. "I'm fine."

Daisy frowned and sat back down. "Eat your breakfast, then. We're having lunch late tonight, and I don't want to find you in the doorway complaining about how hungry you are in two hours."

Blue nodded solemnly and forced his breakfast into himself as quickly as possible. It tasted like cardboard.

"Thanks for the food," he muttered and left the table. He could feel Daisy's eyes on his back, but fortunately she didn't say anything.

Blue bit his lip. The breakfast had been a disaster: he'd have to at least pretend everything was normal until the bombshell dropped, else everyone's suspicions would immediately lie on him. And what had he done? Made Daisy think he was sick.

He considered his options. He quickly discarded running away: it was tempting, but he had nowhere to go without a pokémon. Besides, it felt...cowardly. That left him with two alternatives; either hang around Pallet Town and delay the moment, or stay in his room, waiting.

In the end, he climbed up the stairs to his room. He needed to get dressed before any real decisions, anyway. As he pulled his shirt on, he spotted a familiar face from the window: Red's mother, placing clothes to dry outside.

Blue blinked. Red's mother acted as normally as ever. How was that even possible? Hadn't she noticed her only son gone missing?

And then he spotted another familiar figure: a boy his age leaning against the wall, a brand new baseball cap on his head...

* * *

><p>Blue approached Red carefully, unconvinced the boy in front of him wasn't actually a ghost or some other apparition. He looked real enough, true, his hands in his pockets, his listless gaze on the ground.<p>

"Hey, Red?" Blue said, focusing to keep his voice steady.

Red didn't respond. His expression was that of a statue, rigid and silent.

"Red," Blue repeated. "Can you hear me?"

Slowly, Red raised his gaze from the ground. His face was blank and impassive, his gaze dull and unfocused. It was as if he was looking right through Blue.

"Red?" Blue said once more. A shiver ran down his spine. He had been a fool to think everything would be alright, or that the wide awake nightmare of the night before had been a dream after all. Or perhaps it had been? Perhaps his fear had gotten the better of him, and Red merely felt tired.

Slowly, Red raised his head further, gazing at the clouds. He closed his eyes and let out a resounding, weary sigh.

Blue stared at him, frozen, heart palpitating. Either Red was purposefully ignoring him, or he genuinely couldn't tell Blue was there.

He wasn't sure which option was worse.

"Hey, Red..." He reached out and touched Red's shoulder.

Red froze mid-sigh, as if a current of electricity ran through his body. He fixed a sharp and ferocious gaze on Blue.

Blue hesitated, but stood his ground. He wasn't about to be cowered by Red of all people, no matter the events of last night. "Hear me now?"

Red ignored his words, grabbed Blue's wrist, and gently, but irresistibly removed Blue's hand from his person. That done, he glared again, his eyes narrowed, the flame in his eyes intensified.

"What's your problem?" Blue snapped, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach. He had a good idea what the problem was, after all. The inexplicable events of the previous night, even if Red had escaped unharmed, must have still been fresh on his mind. Maybe something bad had happened after all? Maybe Red blamed Blue for luring him out in the first place? Or perhaps he felt Blue had abandoned him despite his best efforts to stop him.

After a moment, the intensity of Red's gaze dissipated, and a flash of puzzlement appeared in them. He rolled his eyes and walked away, passing right next to Blue and wandering off towards the woods.

Blue stared after him, at a complete loss as to what to do next.

"Are you all right, Blue? Did you two have a fight?"

Red's mother looked at him, an empty clothes basket under one hand.

"I guess," Blue muttered. "He won't talk to me for some reason."

Red's mother sighed. "I'll talk to him once he gets back."

"That's okay, I'm sure we'll figure it out." Now that the worst pangs of his conscience had faded away, he once again dreaded punishment for the night before. Even so, questions burned in his mind. "Did he say anything about me in the morning?"

Red's mother tilted her head. "He hardly said anything, now that you mention it. And he kept yawning and rubbing his eyes at the breakfast table. He might just be cross because he stayed up too late last night playing games without my permission. Don't take his behaviour too personally."

"Okay." Blue avoided her eyes.

"I'm baking a pie this afternoon. Why don't you come over, and ask your family over, too? Perhaps Red will be more awake by then."

"Okay, thanks." Blue waved at Red's mother as she returned inside, then sauntered off in the opposite direction Red had vanished into. What should he do now? Should he just ignore anything weird had happened? He'd need to talk to Red at some point, that much was for certain, provided he would listen.

Right now, if he didn't wish to confess, he could only wait. Maybe Red really would be more receptive in the afternoon.

* * *

><p>He wasn't. Nor would he give Blue the time of day the following morning, either, nor the day after that.<p>

No matter how many times Blue approached him, no matter what he said, not even the one time Blue would rather forget when he had all but begged him to say something, anything, had he spoken to him. Sometimes, he'd stare at Blue for a moment, intently and without blinking, but right after he'd sigh and leave once more. For the most part, he remained cooped up inside, playing games, and those few times Blue caught him wondering outside, he seemed to do nothing but walk around aimlessly, staring at trees.

Months later, Blue sat aimlessly on the fence as red leaves cascaded down from the trees around Pallet Town. The last rays of sun had just vanished under the sea of deep blue sky, and he shivered slightly without his jacket. A whole season had passed, and not once had Red uttered a single word at him.

The weirdest thing, however, was that no-one else seemed to notice anything. Oh, they realised Red and Blue were no longer on speaking terms. They even commented on what a shame it was, the two of them had been like a ray of sunlight together, but in the end they simply took it as a sign of differing interests. Red's mother would sigh and Daisy would encourage Blue to reach out for Red one more time.

Still, only Blue seemed to notice Red had fundamentally changed. It wasn't just how quiet he was, although that certainly was a part of it. The look in his eyes, the way he carried himself, it was all different from the overly enthusiastic and sometimes a little pathetic kid Blue had known. It was as if Red had matured ten years in one night, and the look of thinly veiled hidden knowledge certainly corroborated with that.

And yet, as no-one else said anything, Blue kept his mouth shut. What should have been said? He didn't know what had happened, not really, and voicing his suspicions without concrete evidence would get him nowhere.

Sometimes, now, he thought the whole nightly incident really had been a dream; that Red behaved exactly as he always had, Blue simply hadn't seen this side of his personality before. Maybe it was Blue who had changed? Maybe, just maybe, everything was normal after all, and whatever was ailing Red was normal as well.

Either way, he was sick of it.

He spotted Red shuffling nearby, bare arms on goosebumps from the cold breeze, gaze as dull as a zombie's. Blue slid down from the fence and made a beeline for him, like a gyarados aiming for its prey.

"Red!" he shouted from the distance. Red's eyes flashed in recognition, and he paused, hands in pockets.

Blue reached him, puffed his chest out and gave Red his most acrimonious glare.

"Okay, bub, here's the deal," he growled, poking Red in the chest. "I'm sick of you acting all high and mighty, like I'm a dirt stain on your shirt or whatever. If you've got something to say, say it now. What's the point in holding a grudge for so long, anyway? Just say it. Are you seriously going to pretend I don't exist for the rest of your life?"

Red stared down at the finger poking his chest, like he didn't fully comprehend why it was there. He said nothing.

Blue's eye twitched. He had expected as much, but it still pissed him off.

"I'll ask you one more time. I've told you I'm sorry so many times I don't even know what I'm apologising for anymore. Can't you say something? Anything? Don't you care at all?"

No response.

Something snapped within Blue. He had been patient with Red, far more patient than he deserved. He didn't have to take this crap.

"Fine, be an asshole. I've given you way too chances already." He turned away. "I felt sorry for you before, but not anymore. Mark my words, I'm going to beat the pokémon league and become the best champion ever. I'll enjoy rubbing your face in the mud once you come challenge me. Let's see how high and mighty you act once I'm the best and you're still a loser running at my heels."

Predictably, Red said nothing. However, when Blue looked over his shoulder, he caught Red nodding, barely noticeably, but still more clearly than anything he had done since that night. And was it just Blue, or had a faint smile briefly crossed Red's face?

Before he could verify it, Red walked away, like nothing had happened.

Blue clenched his fists. So be it.

He looked up. The first stars of the night greeted him with their cold light. He raised his hand on his chest.

"I swear that I will be the champion. I swear I'll make Red speak again, that I'll wipe that arrogant look off his face. I swear I will be the greatest pokémon master of all time, no matter what. I'll never rest, never give up, not until it's all over."

Then, feeling proud but also a little foolish, he returned home where Daisy was already expecting him.

* * *

><p>The following seasons passed without incident. Red still wouldn't speak to him, but he no longer cared.<p>

Finally, the fateful day arrived. He ate his breakfast, packed his backpack and left it by the door to wait for him, then stood waiting in Gramps' laboratory, shaking with anticipation. The three pokéballs were already there; the sleek red and white orbs automatically drew his gaze. He could already feel his fingers curling around the smooth surface of one of them and his voice calling out the name of his new partner, the future cornerstone of his winning team.

After minutes that felt like hours Gramps walked in, with Red at his heels. The former smiled faintly; the latter had his eyes firmly fixed in front of him, his face impassive. Blue stuck up his chin and remained silent.

He let Red pick first, like they had agreed long ago, claiming he was the more patient of the two. It was a lie, he was all but shaking with excitement, but Red and Gramps didn't have to know that.

Red eyed the balls one by one, before finally taking one in his hand. Blue swallowed a sharp breath. Chamander. That meant he should take squirtle. He smiled inwardly: while he would have been happy with any choice, he had held a secret preference towards squirtle deep in his heart.

"I'll take this one, then," he said as he walked to the table with long strides, oozing with confidence both faked and genuine, and claimed his prize. He kept his back turned and smiled at the pokéball in his hand, itching to call out the creature it held.

"Better than yours, Red." He turned his head and saw Red walking towards the door, ignoring him. "Do you disagree? Or are you just scared of facing me?"

Red paused.

"That's right, I'm calling you out, you loser," Blue continued, a taunting smile on his lips. "We should try battling our pokémon now! Or would you rather keep running away?"

Red very slowly turned, his head held low. Then, he extended his arm forward, holding the pokéball towards Blue. He raised his chin. His eyes gleamed.

"That's more like it." Blue looked on as Red called his charmander out, then followed his lead and unleashed the creature he had been bestowed with. He couldn't hold back his smile when Squirtle materialised in front of him and let out its cry. His pokémon. His. He would take it to the top.

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Gramps muttered. Blue couldn't care less.

"Squirtle, use Tackle!" he yelled.

Squirtle obeyed, ramming head first into Red's charmander, sending it flying back. Triumphant, Squirtle jumped back to its initial position, waving its arms. Blue looked up and grinned at Red, waiting for him to act.

Red's expression remained unchanged. Rather than yelling out his command, he waved his hand. Despite the vagueness, Charmander appeared to have understood, as it rushed over to tackle squirtle at once Blue couldn't help but be impressed despite himself. Red had only just received his first pokémon, and already it understood him without words?

Charmander head-butted squirtle rigorously. Squirtle stumbled and fell, and when it got back on its feet it looked at Blue with uncertain eyes. He nodded at it encouragingly and could have sworn he received a tiny nod back.

"Squirtle, use Tackle again!" he said. Squirtle was weak, and his options were limited; but he knew the same was true for Red and his charmander. If he went with a full-on assault from the very beginning, he would win. He knew he would.

And so it continued turn after turn, both of pokémon slamming into one another time after time, gaining new bruises, their breathing growing more ragged. After several more tackles, both were badly injured, but to Blue's glee, charmander was barely staying on its feet, whereas squirtle, although tired and battered, still had more stamina remaining. Barely more, but it no longer mattered; one more turn and he and it would win.

It was Red's turn, but he was yet to issue a command. Then, to Blue's surprise, he removed his backpack and stuck his hand into its biggest pocket. Less than a moment later, he pulled it out a purple spray bottle.

Blue's nostrils flared in shock. A potion?! Where the heck had Red gotten it from?

Ignoring Blue's silent outrage, Red squirted the contents of the bottle on the barely conscious charmander. A great transformation took place in front of Blue's eyes. Charmander, crouching down, its eyes glazed, sprung upright, a new lustre in its gaze, practically gleaming with good health. Blue threw a panicked look at Squirtle, breathing shallowly, now by comparison completely exhausted. And unlike Red, Blue had no potions prepared.

He had lost.

He yelled out the one last command, knowing full well that it was futile, but having no other choice. Then Red's charmander struck again, and Squirtle fell on the floor, unconscious.

Gritting his teeth, he called Squirtle back into its ball and shot a sour glare at Red. Red seemed unconcerned. In fact, he met his victory with the same bland expression he had met claiming his pokémon and Blue's challenge, showing neither joy or annoyance. This only made Blue more aggravated. He shelled out the money he owed for losing and rushed home.

"Welcome back, Blue," Daisy said happily. She handed Blue his backpack and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "I packed some fresh water for your pokémon and pecha jam sandwiches for you."

Blue looked away. "Thanks."

"Which pokémon did you choose? Can you show me?"

"Squirtle. And I can't."

"Oh." After a momentary pause, Daisy patted his head. "Don't worry about it, Blue. I'm sure you'll do well."

"'Course I will," Blue said petulantly. "I'm going now."

Daisy gave him one last pat on the head. "Take care."

Blue sneaked out, looking right and left to make sure Red was gone, then scurried back in the lab.

"Gramps!"

"What is it, Blue?" Gramps looked up from the strange device he was holding. "It's good that you returned. I forgot to give you and Red your Pokédexes."

Blue shook his head and strode to the back of the lab. "Where's the rejuvenation machine?"

"Under the green sheet. Just pop it in there."

Blue tore the sheet away and tossed it on the ground, then gingerly placed squirtle's pokéball in one of the six slots. As the machine worked its magic, he turned his attention towards Gramps, his arms folded.

"Don't give me that look, young man. It was a fair match."

"Fair match my foot," Blue spat. His mind burned with righteous indignation. "If I had a potion too I would have won for sure."

Gramps sighed. "Very well then."

Blue tossed his head haughtily and grabbed his newly recovered Squirtle, shoving the pokéball deep into his pocket. He walked away with his head held high, only pausing to take the Pokédex his gramps held out for him. At the entrance, he stopped.

"The next time you see me, I'm going to be the champion."

He left before Gramps could respond, walking towards Route 1 with furious steps, mind aflame. He was going to make good of his promise, whether Gramps had taken it as a promise or not. He would show them all.

He would be the champion.

He would win.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Special thanks to thechinskyguy for being an awesome beta reader._


	3. Chapter 3

It was a strange luxury, to feel tall blades of grass tickle his legs through the thin fabric of his trousers, after a lifetime of reprimands for "endangering his life" every time he had as much as set a foot on tall grass. Better yet was the knowledge that even if some prowling beast did set its sights on him, all he had to do was order his very own pokémon to challenge it; the new-found power and control over his destiny, one he could already see blossoming in his mind's eye, sent his heart strumming.

He tiptoed into the thicket, plants rustling after each step despite the lightness of his steps. He only needed to incline his head slightly to the left to see Squirtle following him, but resisted the urge. He didn't need to see to know it was there. Good trainers didn't have pokémon leaving their side and wandering off during a hunt, and beginner or not, Blue was a good trainer. He was sure of that.

Already, Squirtle evoked an odd sense of pride within him. A weak creature, yet with tenacity evident in each gesture; dark eyes shining with the potential for strength and improvement. Blue wondered if all trainers viewed their pokémon like that.

He took a few more tentative steps, finding a passable spot for hunting. Freshly-purchased pokéballs burned in his pocket, and he absent-mindedly clenched and unclenched his fist around one of them. All he needed now was a target.

"Squirtle," he ordered. "Hide in the grass and wait for my command."

Squirtle crouched down as ordered. Blue remained standing, sombre and lost in thought. His countenance revealed no emotion beyond the furrowed brow of extreme concentration, but within him his doubts and concerns trickled into his consciousness despite his attempts to keep them at bay.

Somehow, Red had gotten the better of him, despite all his bravado and certainness. Blue had lost his very first match ever. He had failed before even setting off. he had lost the race by the starting line.

_No._ Blue hadn't lost, not really. Not in a way that really counted. His strategy had been without fault: even during his weakest moment, when he dreaded he had made a mistake by telling squirtle to attack continuously rather than attempting to lower charmander's defences, he could rest assured in the knowledge Red's potion would have made whatever strategy he applied ineffective. As for the potion...he cast it out of his mind. He couldn't have known Red was prepared like that. That was borderline cheating, really, stocking up on healing items before even receiving a pokémon. Red simply had an unfair advantage and in reality, their first real match was still ahead of them.

He suppressed the gnawing feeling of doubt within him and crouched next to Squirtle. They waited in silence, eyes peeled on spot the tall grass in front of them.

Soon enough, something rustled in the grass mere feet away from them. Blue squinted and caught a glimpse of plain brown feathers through the greenery. A pidgey.

Silently, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pokéball. He activated it, suppressing the click with his palm. The pidgey was none the wiser, still pecking at the ground calmly.

Blue nodded at Squirtle. The creature responded by tilting its head. Blue rolled his eyes. How exactly had Red made his charmander understand wordless commands right off the bat, anyway?

"When I say go, attack," he hissed through his teeth. The pidgey gave a start at the sudden sound, raising its beak from the ground and looking around itself with a moment of alarm before, mercifully, resuming its feeding. A light of understanding flashed through squirtle's eyes. It braced its limbs against the ground, ready to pounce. Blue pulled back his throwing arm.

"Go," he muttered, quietly but assertively. With one swift motion, Squirtle launched itself through the air. The pidgey snapped its head upwards at the sound, but too late: Squirtle's lunge hit its mark, and the two pokémon fell tangled together in a flurry of feathers and dust and torn blades of grass. Cacophony filled the air as the pidgey cried out a warning to its kin.

At once, Blue jumped to his feet and flung the pokéball through the air. It struck the pidgey seconds after it made its feeble counter-attack on Squirtle, and engulfed the hapless bird pokémon in a beam of crimson light.

Blue stood motionless, his heart pounding. The pidgey struggled against the confines of the pokéball. Then, after one last violent shake, which Blue was almost sure meant he lost, there was a decisive click. A death knell to the pidgey's former life, and simultaneously an announcement, of a new, glorious future as a member of Blue's team.

A victorious grin crept on Blue's face as he strode forward to claim his reward. He held the pokéball towards the skies, barely containing himself from letting out a cry of joy. His first capture. His first real step towards complete victory. His path lay open ahead of him, bathed in light, straight and true. What doubts his battle against Red had awoken in him were gone; he knew his fate once more.

He looked down at Squirtle. His companion looked back at him, its head slightly bruised by pidgey's headbutt, its eyes shining with the same strong lustre as before.

"Well done, Squirtle." The creature had fulfilled its role perfectly, after all: it deserved acknowledgement. Squirtle chattered something incomprehensible, but looked pleased regardless.

Placing his newly acquired pokémon's container in his pocket, Blue looked around the route silently. Despite the sunlight, only a handful of people found themselves on it. Still no sign of Red, either. He was glad; he had no desire to see him at the moment. Yet, it was a bit odd: had Red already left Route 1 so far behind? Hadn't the shop clerk told Blue that Red returned back to Pallet Town to deliver a parcel? They would have been bound to cross paths at some point.

He shook it off. Who cared about Red and his stupid shenanigans? The next time Blue would meet him, he'd show him who would be the true champion.

* * *

><p>The thought still lingered in his mind when he gazed upon the austere gate to the Pokémon league. It blocked all curious gazes, hiding whatever awaited behind it perfectly. The guard, his uniform immaculate, looked straight forward, acknowledging Blue with neither word nor action. He must have been used to newbie trainers coming to gawk at the gateway to victory.<p>

Blue stood up straight. He knew he was different from all those other kids. They too would go forward, but nearly all of them would falter on their path. Not Blue. He refused to be left astray. Seeing the gate, knowing that behind it, behind all the gates lay Victory Road and finally Indigo Plateau, the final test for all those trainers who wished to prove their mettle, filled him with new conviction, fuel to the flames within him yearning for glory and acknowledgement. Today, all he could do was stand there, but once he returned, the gates would slam open, and he would walk through with pride.

He turned around, the image of the gate burned into his mind. If he ever needed an extra push to keep his oath to the stars, he could simply beckon the image back and be reinvigorated.

He stroked the pokéballs on his belt absent-mindedly. Both squirtle and pidgey had grown stronger through numerous battles against wild rattatas and their ilk, but they still had ways to go like Blue himself. Still, he was pleased by their development. He could hardly wait for his first real trainer battle, just to see the look on his opponent's face when he unleashed his team.

He nodded in acknowledgement to the guard as he walked away. The guard, stone-faced, didn't as much as blink in response. Blue shrugged mentally and kept going. It would be different the next time he showed up and presented his flawless collection of gym badges to him.

The afternoon sun, enveloping the earth in its warm embrace, showed its first signs of waning. Blue quickened his pace. He had a long way ahead of him, and after this detour he would have to hurry if he wanted to make it through Viridian Forest before sunfall.

He was so lost in thought he didn't even pick up the sound of approaching footsteps until they petered out. He looked up and found himself face to face with Red.

Adrenaline flowed through his body like a rushing current of water, his hands instinctively curling up. Red, on his turn, seemed to barely notice Blue was there; his expression was that of a marble statue. Specks of dust clung to his clothes, his hat was slightly askew, his gaze was lowered, and his demeanour was that of a sleepwalker.

Then, in an instant, with Red neither raising his gaze nor moving, the atmosphere shifted; a currency of invisible lightning ran through the air, and Blue knew he had been noticed.

Blue curled his upper lip into a sneer. His left hand opened and made its way towards squirtle's pokéball. In a way, this had been exactly what he had wanted from his first real duel, even if the circumstances weren't what he expected.

"Finally made your way here, huh?" he said. "Better take a good look at the gate, it's gonna be a long time before you see the other side of it." He ran his free hand through his hair. "If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time dawdling around here without any badges. If you do, I'm going to steamroll you even harder. Have your Pokémon gotten any stronger yet? Oh, wait, stupid question!"

The rest of Red didn't move in the slightest as his hand slip downward to the pokéballs lodged onto his belt. Two new had appeared alongside his charmander.

Blue grunted in satisfaction. "Glad to see you haven't been completely wasting your time, anyway. But are your pokémon really up to snuff against mine? Go, Squirtle!"

Squirtle materialised in a flash of dim light and readily faced Red, head held up high, stubby arms wide towards its sides.

Red dislodged the pokéball closest to Blue and held it straight forward. Blue looked downwards, expecting a creature there, only to have to raise his gaze with a jolt as he came face to face with a large butterfree, flapping its wings placidly to remain in place.

Blue's jaw dropped. "You've already been to Viridian Forest?" he asked incredulously before he caught himself and twisted his lips back into a sneer. "Not that shortcuts are going to do you any good in the face of all the training I've been doing." Still, behind the mask of confidence lay a seed of worry. It wasn't that Red had scampered off to Viridian Forest and returned with a new pokémon, Blue had already suspected as much, after all, but that the new pokémon had already evolved into a butterfree. It already trumped all of Blue's pokémon in power just based on that fact alone, and considering Red also had superior numbers on his side...

He let none of this show on his countenance, of course; he wouldn't allow Red that satisfaction. He kept his chin up and snarled with the best of them as he commanded Squirtle to lunge forward, his demeanour imitating that of gym leaders he had seen on TV. Superior numbers and power could be surmounted by masterful strategy and sometimes by sheer dumb luck, that Blue knew. If only his options weren't so limited: with a selection of two pokémon and six moves, he doubted even the greatest generals of yore could have pulled an underdog victory against Red's crushing army.

He suppressed a wince as Red's butterfree dived at Squirtle and send it toppling over. He could already see how this match would go, in crystal clarity: butterfree would vanquish both squirtle and pidgey within moments, and even if one of the two managed a lucky strike, charmander and whatever Red's third pokémon was would mop up what resistance remained. No cunning could match such overwhelming force, not without the blessing of some fortune god. He would lose.

Unless he mimicked Red's actions in their previous battle, that was.

He urged Squirtle back to its feet and grinned bitterly as its revenge tackle struck true, one hand in pocket, searching. Red snapped his fingers, and the butterfree lunged forward for the decisive strike. Before it could land, Blue aimed the nozzle of a potion bottle at the wincing squirtle. One firm press, one agonising moment, and Squirtle raised its head just in time to receive another blow to its shelled chest. This time, it stayed on its feet as it was pushed back, injured mere seconds after recovery but still in the game.

Blue raised his gaze, preparing for the next mêlée, only to find that Red had lowered his arm. He had once again become a statue; not a muscle moved as he stared at Blue's now empty hand, lips slightly parted and brow furrowed. Then, he closed his mouth, giving Blue a glare so cold it burned. Blue met his gaze, trying to match the annoyance he witnessed in Red with equal measures of determination and rancour.

Then, his blood froze.

He immediately averted his gaze, letting it lie on Red's poorly tied shoelaces instead. It was ridiculous, of course. All he had seen were the eyes of his former best friend, as blank as ever. He couldn't have seen what he thought he saw. The strange gleam couldn't have been more than a reflection of light. There was no reason for apprehension. And yet the uneasy feeling remained, burrowing deep beneath his skin and sending shivers down his spine. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

He summoned his courage and looked back up. Heart still fluttering, he couldn't meet Red's eyes, but he could see his lips curled up in what appeared to be distaste. The remained unshaken in Blue's mind, and the goosebumps that had risen from his flesh refused to settle down despite the warmth.

The rest of the match passed in a haze. Blue had no recollection of either retrieving Squirtle or sending out pidgey, but evidently it must have happened, because soon enough Red clipped his pokéballs back onto his belt and pushed his cap deeper over his brow, holding out his other arm out as he did so. Blue grabbed his wallet and angrily shoved half of what he had left into Red's awaiting palm, avoiding his eyes as he did so. Money still in hand, Red turned around on the balls of his feet and stalked away. Blue stood in place for a long while afterwards, stunned beyond words, before scurrying back to town to heal his pokémon.

* * *

><p>By the time the nurse handed him back his pokéballs, he had relaxed enough to thank her normally. Even so, the uneasiness seemed to have settled permanently in his veins. The sting of his loss barely registered, remaining only an uncomfortable itch at the back of his consciousness. Instead, his attention was consumed by the strange vision he had glimpsed at Red's eyes, returning ever stronger each time he tried to push the thought aside. The unmistakable flash of burning red where there was meant to be dull brown.<p>

He headed slowly towards Viridian Forest, not really heeding his surrounding. Rage was slowly bubbling towards the surface: some aimed at Red, most at himself. The unexpected terror gave way to a far more familiar feeling of shame. He had lost, after all. He could justify the loss, certainly, he could point out that it had been an inevitability under the circumstances, that a gust of wind cannot move a mountain, and yet none of this seemed quite enough to quell the bitterness rising in his throat.

He snarled, startling a red-haired child passing by, refocusing his thoughts. He wouldn't be done away with so little. He refused to lose to his own insecurities. Perhaps Red had claimed the victory, but it was a hollow one. Blue had faith in himself, his ability to grow and rise above the mire of defeat. His pokémon were already gaining strength, and it only a matter of time until Red was on his knees before him, no matter how strangely his eyes gleamed in sunlight.

He looked up, and found himself by the entrance to Viridian Forest. Red was already within, that he was certain. It didn't matter. Blue would run him off his feet.

_Only a matter of time, Red._

He quickened his pace and vanished towards the unknown.

* * *

><p><em>AN: with special thanks to thechinskyguy._


	4. Chapter 4

"Who the hell is Butch?"

The man with slicked-back hair blinked rapidly, his polite smile waning.

"I beg your pardon?"

Blue pointed to the stone pillar behind the guide, at the last name carved on the list of gym champions, his finger quivering with silent indignation. The man's frown deepened.

"Why, he's the most recent trainer to earn the Boulderbadge. Surely..."

He swallowed the rest of the sentence and hid behind the carefully crafted smile of someone used to dealing with kids.

Blue let his hand fall, bile rising up his throat. He knew what the name meant – everyone on the planet knew unless they lived in a cave. Only it didn't make sense. It had to be the wrong name. Not that the guide could have known the real reason for his cry: in his dismay Blue had merely let the exclamation fall from his lips without remembering his interlocutor couldn't read his thoughts.

He scanned the sign through once more, until names and letters blurred together: Reese, Clara, Heather...but no Red.

"Is he really the most recent?" he asked, with a fierce turn of head. "Are there any new people who just haven't been listed yet?"

Smiling sheepishly, the man shook his head.

"We update the list nightly. There have been no new victors today."

Blue chewed his lip. Red must have entered the forest before him. Where on earth had he disappeared? Had he gotten lost in the woods? The idea tickled Blue, he had to admit. He imagined Red stumbling around in the dark undergrowth with a grouchy growl in his face, and barely suppressed a grin.

Still, it was odd. The Viridian forest was large, but Red had never been one to get lost easily, and if he was still in there, it had been quite a coincidence Blue had never crossed paths with him…

"Will you challenge Brock?" the guide asked, waking Blue from his reverie.

"Uh, yeah." Blue straightened his back and grinned cockily at the announcer. "Of course. Get ready to carve a new name on the sign."

The man flashed another polite smile.

"Excellent, I have high hopes for you. Now, Brock uses mainly rock-type pokémon, so—"

Blue stomped forward with his head held up high before the guide could finish his sentence, eyes fixed at the raised platform on which Brock's imposing figure waited, arms crossed.

He needed no merciful hints. He only needed himself.

He cradled his pokéballs in his hands. There were three now, as he had captured a particularly tenacious rattata on the outskirts of the town. Still, he'd only need one pokémon.

He met Brock's eyes with absolute certainly. His first step to the way of recognised glory was here, and he wouldn't hesitate to climb it.

* * *

><p>Blue kept his arm perfectly straight as Brock pressed the Boulderbadge firmly onto his waiting palm. The badge weighed more on his hand than he expected, and it was cold on his hot palm. Blue pressed his fingers around it, and savoured the coolness.<p>

"You've done well."

Blue smiled. Of course he had.

* * *

><p>As soon as Blue emerged from the caves beneath Mt. Moon, he took a deep breath of the fresh air and sat down on the patch of relatively short grass next to the entrance.<p>

After a moment of consideration, he released Squirtle from its pokéball. It shook its head and looked at him questioningly, and after replying a nod of approval, trotted off to frolic in the grass by. Blue followed its movements lazily with his eyes, not really paying attention. The afternoon sun of late August was boring down on him, but he wasn't uncomfortable enough to seek shade just yet.

He took off his sneakers and rubbed his aching feet. The day had been a long one; he and Squirtle had set off at the crack of dawn and walked nearly continuously since then, only pausing to battle trainers. Tet they were still miles away from the next town.

Blue removed the backpack from his back and pulled out a bottle of fresh water and a pair of cellophane-wrapped sandwiches he had taken with him from the Pokécenter. He started munching down on the first one, savouring every mouthful: he had difficulties swallowing the dry bread and the pungent cheese offended his senses, but he was hungry enough to ignore those flaws in light of being able to fill his stomach.

As he ate, he looked around himself, able for the first time to fully appreciate the beauty of Kanto. After the murky caves and endless droves of zubats, the perfectly blue waterfront and peaceful meadows around Cerulean City seemed like visions of paradise. He also couldn't help but spot several acres worth of tall grass on the other side of the lake, and checked his backpack for empty pokeballs. Plenty remained, and he swore to pay the wild pokémon of the area a visit.

After finishing the sandwiches, he took a swig from the water bottle, then poured the rest into a flat container and placed it on the ground. As he stashed the empty bottle he also pulled out a bag of treats and ripped it open. Squirtle immediately perked up at the sound.

"Squirtle!" Blue called out, despite knowing it was redundant. Already Squirtle was running towards him, eager to fill its belly.

As Squirtle dug into its food, Blue pulled yet another object from his backpack, a string-bound black notebook that served as his battle log. He opened it and jotted down his last few accomplishments.

He flipped back to the first sheet, where he had copied development charts in preparations for the journey, and began to count. He made one more note, then dug out yet another thing from the backpack: a small bottle with a light green cork.

"Squirtle." Squirtle looked up. Blue popped the cork open. "Drink this, too."

Squirtle peered at the bottle suspiciously, but waddled over all the same and held its paws forward. Blue handed the bottle over. Squirtle gave its contents a sniff and grimaced, but after another nod from Blue drank it all in one shot.

"Did it taste bad?" Blue asked as Squirtle shuddered.

Squirtle shook its head.

Just then, another trainer drove past on a brand new bike. Blue looked on with envy.

The trainer turned her head, meeting Blue's eyes.

"Oh, shoot."

She braked with a loud squeal from the breaks and hopped off her bike. "Ready to battle?"

Blue recalled Squirtle and stood up straight.

"Always."

The battle was short, but satisfying enough, his opponent's mankey and growlithe putting up a valiant fight against Blue's less-trained but well-commanded and superior numbers.

"Sharp-toothed rattata you've got there," the trainer said graciously as she shelled out the dough.

"Thanks," replied Blue, and pocketed the money. He had quite a nice nest egg tucked away already, all ready for some extreme spending at the next mart. "Got high hopes for him."

"Well, if it keeps biting like that, you might be able to take it to the top."

Rather than showing concern over her fainted pokémon, the trainer reached into her backpack and uncorked a bottle of fresh water. After a few gulps, followed by a satisfied sigh, she crouched down and dug deeper into her pocket, retrieving several satchels of revival powder. Blue raised his eyebrows. Rich kid, he supposed.

"Where are you from, anyway?" he asked, tone casual. He felt good after a reaffirming victory, and saw no reason to hurry on or to avoid chitchat.

"Cerulean, actually. Moved there last year."

The trainer didn't look at Blue as she replied, still tinkering with the powders. Satisfied, she weighed one of her freshly alert pokémon balls in her hands and looked up. "How about you?"

"Pallet Town."

"Oh hey, I passed through it once when we went on holiday to the Sevii Islands. Looked like a nice little town."

Blue snorted. "What, that dump? Where we've got like a hundred people and one water-cooler?"

"It can't be all bad. The other kid from Pallet seemed to like it alright."

The sardonic grin on Blue's face froze.

"What other kid?"

The trainer shrugged her backpack onto her shoulders. "This other trainer from Pallet. Battled him today. Black hair, has a badass charmander."

Her eyes narrowed as her hands curled around the handles of her bicycle. "You know him, right? Can't be many kids leaving Pallet at the same time."

Blue ignored the question as another strange incident occurred to him.

"What did he say to you?"

The trainer hopped onto her bike, feet still firmly in the ground.

"Nothing special, really. Mentioned Pallet, asked what I was about to do? The usual stuff."

She raised her foot to the pedal. "Anyway, I'm gonna go before I start gathering moss. Cheers."

"You too," Blue muttered, not really thinking about what he said. He watched on as the trainer made a U-turn and vanished behind a high ledge.

So. Red did in fact speak to people…

He shook his head violently. No. He refused to waste any more of his brain capacity on Red. New pokémon waited to join his team. The next gym leader awaited. He had to move on.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, he was stalking in the grass by the river, lying in wait for the pokémon he had spotted earlier to appear. Squirtle waited patiently next to him, perfectly quiet.<p>

After nearly ten minutes of stillness, something finally rustled in a bush near him.

He raised two fingers in the air, hoping the training had paid off. Squirtle inclined its head and braced its muscles, ready to pounce once more. Blue couldn't see Rattata from the undergrowth, but had no doubt it was where Blue had ordered it to go. Pidgeotto circled above, waiting for his command.

He lowered one finger. Squirtle tensed and pressed itself further down, its hardened shell brushing against the ground. The invisible circle Pidgeotto flew around and around grew narrower as the majestic bird began to hone down on the trembling creature in the bush. Annoyed, Blue waved his left hand in a whorl pattern, and soon Pidgeotto caught his drift and widened the circle.

Satisfied, Blue nodded. He looked at Squirtle and lowered the final finger.

Without a moment's hesitation, Squirtle pounced, diving head-first into the bush. A garbled cry rang out, followed by a strange light flash.

Blue stayed in place, desperately surveying the area, waiting for the blasted creature to materialise. Hopefully it hadn't vanished beyond his reach once more. He could try as many times as he liked, of course, but the sky was getting dark and he rather not waste any more time than necessary. He couldn't allow Red to outstep him again.

Finally, he caught a glimpse of the creature. It had descended roughly ten feet from its previous hideout, its chin firmly against its chest, its eyes squeezed shut. Squirtle still struggled in the bush, the creature continued to rest, no doubt preparing to teleport again. And unaware of the long purple tail only barely visible in a patch of grass right next to it.

Finally.

"Lunge!" Blue cried, and immediately Rattata emerged from the grass in a flurry of teeth and claws, sinking its fangs into the abra's tail. The pokémon cried out, and thrashed wildly to remove the tenacious rattata, but to no avail.

Blue gestured hastily at his Pidgeotto to keep circling the area just in case it somehow managed to escape his grasp once more as he threw his arm back and sent a pokéball flying towards the abra. It bounced off its narrow face and activated. Rattata let go a mere second before the light engulfed the creature.

Blue's heart pounded along with the pulses of the pokéball. He has wasted a dozen on the creature already, desperate attempts at capturing it moments before its escape and one unfortunate time after he had devised his plan during which Pidgeotto's swoop had missed its mark by mere inches. Now, however, he could exhale in satisfaction as the pokéball finally clicked.

He soon found himself absent-mindedly stroking Rattata's furry back as he examined his new capture and his pokémon gathered to him. He stopped as soon as he saw what he was doing and nodded at all three of them in acknowledgement.

"You did well."

* * *

><p>Squirtle was on the verge of evolving but he decided to challenge the next gym first, simply because he knew they could win and it'd be fun to flaunt his skill like that. So instead, he spent some time training the bug pokémon he had caught in Viridian Forest, in hopes of making them evolve. Every evolution was a new Pokedex marking, after all.<p>

He won, as expected, and smiled kindly at the Gym Leader as she handed over the badge. She had put up a good fight after all. Too bad that there was only one he considered a serious rival.

Then, as he was about to leave the town, he caught sight of a familiar baseball cap.

Speak of the devil.

"Finally got here?" he yelled and jumped in front of Red. "I don't know where you've been hiding, but don't think you can escape from this battle."

Red stared at him and reached for his pokéballs. Red. His eyes were definitely red.

This time, Blue fought more cautiously, going for a war of attrition and paying extra attention to elemental weaknesses. Yet all of his pokémon were struck down, one by one.

He managed to keep a straight face in front of Red, bragging about what he had accomplished so far, speaking like the loss he had just experienced was the first of its kind and not the third.

As soon as Red left, however, he grimaced. How could this keep happening when he easily trounced all other opponents? Somehow, Red had to be cheating.

Then again, Red's Charmander had already been a Charmeleon. Maybe he had just been training extra hard for the gym his starter was weak against. Maybe that was it. He could do that, too, and better than Red if necessary.

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><p>Blue knew he shouldn't follow Red. There was no reason for him to backtrack, no point in a side-path on his way to championship. He knew he should have just continued on towards Vermilion City, focus on his own journey, and banish Red out of his mind.<p>

Yet, he knew he couldn't forget about Red until he got some light into the mystery of his appearances and disappearances.

And so, he had sauntered back to Route 25, hiding in the sidelines to elude Red's eye, and keeping a close eye on him. As far as he could tell, nothing was amiss about Red's behaviour, at least from a distance. While Red seemed to walk in perfect silence, and he never moved a muscle on his countenance, apart from that his journey down the route was no different from that of any other trainer. He faced everyone who challenged him, commanded his pokémon with skill, and pocketed the wins with neither arrogance nor interest. Apart from his still peculiar muteness, which Blue had already come to accept as a matter of course, nothing was amiss.

He grew frustrated. He was wasting his time with this childish game of spying. But just as he was about to turn away, Red defeated another trainer, a young girl, and quickly summoned his pokémon back.

The lass frowned. "I'm not so jealous."

Without further ado, she rummaged her pockets and offered Red the money. He accepted it mechanically.

Blue decided to retreat. Red was more than close enough to spot him should he turn his head. However, before he could move, the girl spoke again.

"You came from Mt. Moon? May I have a clefairy?"

Blue blinked rapidly, wondering if he had heard correctly. That was no opening to a discussion – that was a continuation. But why was the girl responding when Red had said nothing?

With no response but a shrug of shoulders, Red lowered his cap over his eye and walked onwards.

When he was beyond hearing distance, the girl sighed and took to the opposite direction, walking right past Blue's hiding spot. Seizing the moment, Blue stepped out in the open and accosted the girl.

"Hey," he said, trying to appear as casual as possible.

The girl stopped in place and blinked rapidly, then sighed in dismay and began going through her pockets.

"Sorry, I can't battle you. I just lost."

"Yeah, I saw."

The girl took out a packet of bubblegum and lobbed a piece into her mouth.

"What did he say to you?"

The girl shrugged. "Nothing special. He said he had been to Mt. Moon and that he didn't have a clefairy."

"Yeah, but did he actually say something?" Blue asked anxiously.

The girl gave him a long look. "What kind of a question is that? Of course he said something; how else would I have known to answer him?"

She held the pack of chewing gum towards him. "Do you want some?"

"No thanks."

And with that, Blue walked away, his mind wrestling with this new development. Red must have spoken, that was true. So, why hadn't Blue heard anything, even though he had been close enough to hear the other trainer's reply clear as bells?

Had Red simply spoken really softly? Was Blue making a mountain out of a molehill?

He shook his head violently, irritated. He'd have to keep an ear open whenever near Red. He needed to be certain.

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><p><em>AN: Special thanks ___to thechinskyguy and TJ Robinson for beta reading this.__


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